QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Shippensburg University softball team rallied from a three-run deficit in Game 1 of the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Softball Championships, getting a career-high four RBIs from junior Tara Bicko and an extra-inning home run from junior Chloe Collins to defeat IUP, 5-4, in eight innings from Veterans Park.
 
Shippensburg (27-21) defeated IUP (24-18) for the third time this season, as the Raiders swept a March 25 doubleheader by scores of 2-0 and 6-3. The noon contest marked the PSAC Tournament debut for all of the Raiders in uniform, as the team's last appearance came in 2014 and there are no seniors on the roster.  
 
SU trailed 1-0 in the third inning before Bicko delivered the first hit of the day for the Raiders – a two-out double that scored junior Anna Warfield. The Crimson Hawks hit a two-run homer in the third and added another in the fourth on a two-out single to build a 4-1 advantage.
 
Junior Maddie Mulhall drew her third walk of the season to lead off the fifth, and freshman Maddie McConnell replaced her on the bases. McConnell moved to second on a sacrifice by freshman Kayla Bonawitz and scored two batters later on an opposite-field, two-run homer by Bicko. It was the third homer of the season for Bicko and fourth of her career.
 
Trailing 4-3 in its final at-bat in the seventh, Shippensburg got a one-out double from Bonawitz – who moved to third base with two outs on a comebacker. On a 2-0 pitch, Bicko sliced an opposite-field single through the left side that plated Bonawitz and tied the score.
 
Collins crushed a home run on the first pitch of extra innings, giving the Raiders their ultimate 5-4 margin.
 
Sophomore Taryn Wilson recovered from some early struggles to retire 12 of the final 13 hitters she faced – the only opposing runner in the final four innings came on a walk on a close pitch that led off the inning. Wilson struck out a career-high 11 batters, including the final four Crimson Hawks that came to the plate. She improved her record to 12-4.
 
Mulhall and freshman Meghan Klee played a game in their hometown for the first time as collegiate athletes. Klee had two hits – singles in the fourth and eighth innings – while Mulhall drew the walk that led to SU's second run.
 
Shippensburg will face Gannon at 6 p.m. tonight in Game 5 of the 2017 PSAC Championships.